2 days ago
Stampeding crowd ideal for Covid surge; against state's own advisory
BENGALURU: While the Chinnaswamy Stadium tragedy that claimed 11 young lives is shocking, another possible tragedy may be in waiting — a massive surge in Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru. The lakhs-strong gatherings on Wednesday — of about 1 lakh in front of Vidhana Soudha — for the felicitation of the IPL 2025 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team — and about 3 lakhs around M Chinnaswamy Stadium who were trying to attend the celebrations inside the stadium — were in complete contradiction to the Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) advisory that the Karnataka government itself had issued on May 23, even as the cases were rising.
Incidentally, on Wednesday, the fateful day when the large gatherings led to the fatal stampede, the Health and Family Welfare Department reported a massive jump in the number of Covid cases from 53 to 153, while the positivity rate was 25.8% and the case fatality rate was 1.3%. The state has recorded seven deaths so far in the latest Covid surge as of Thursday.
The state health department issued a clear advisory on May 23, warning of a steady rise in Covid cases. The advisory had urged the public to strictly follow CAB, especially in crowded places. Vulnerable groups were specifically advised to wear masks. It also recommended hand hygiene and use of sanitizers. And yet, the government that issued this warning went on to organise one of the largest mass gatherings just days later at the felicitation on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha — with no safety measures. Although the advisory had called for caution, the State Government itself threw that very caution to the winds.
The teeming crowds near Chinnaswamy Stadium featured no distancing, masking, or health protocols in place, while doctors and medical experts explained that such gatherings create 'vulnerable clusters' which contributes to the Covid infection surges.
When The New Indian Express questioned Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao about this, he said there are currently no mandatory protocols in place for masking or crowd control, except for those who are immunocompromised. 'Even the Government of India hasn't issued any specific restrictions at this point. If you look at it that way, every cricket match is a large gathering — and there are no curbs on such events right now,' Rao said.
